KATHMANDU; LP Gas Industry Association (LPGIA) expects the import of another 45 billets of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

As per an agreement, Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) imported 45 billets of LPG on Monday. Although NOC imported the required quantity of LPG, the market is still dry.

Insufficient import in February created a huge shortfall of LPG cylinders in the market. According to Suresh Prajapati, general secretary at LPGIA, NOC imported 45 billets of LPG on Monday and has informed that 45 billets of LPG will be imported by Tuesday, easing the demand for the required number of cylinders but the general consumer will have to wait in queues to get these LPG cylinders.

Prajapati said that NOC has agreed to import at least 16,000 metric tonnes of LPG for the month of March. Until March 19, total quantity of LPG imported has been 9000 metric tons while 7000 metric tons is yet to be imported from Haldia.

“If NOC imports at least 16,000 metric tonnes of

LPG in April, it will help ease the market demand and consumers can easily access the required number of household cylinders,” said Prajapati.

He also urged NOC to prepare to import 20,000 metric tonnes of LPG for winter next year. He said that effective and sufficient quantity of LPG import in time can minimize unnecessary demand in market.

Increased load shedding hours has increased the consumption of LPG in the market creating high demand for gas cylinders. The association has also urged consumers not to hoard cylinders. Unnecessary gas hoarding creates a shortage in the market.The total demand for LPG is 45,000 cylinders per day but only 6000 cylinders per day were being imported earlier, while during the month of February only 55 per cent of the total demand was supplied in the market.